Minimum Pull-Tabs Age
Just like bingo games, pull tabs are often less restricted and tend to come with a lower gambling age than many other types of gambling. This is true for some but not all states in the USA. Although pull tabs often have a low gambling age it still has a higher age than bingo in some states and is therefore the second least age restricted type of gambling.
One could ask why bingo and pull tabs have lower gambling age limits than most other gambling types - it would after all be easier for everyone if the same gambling age applied to all types of gambling within a specific state (or ideally nation wide). The reason behind the age discrepancy is usually that different types of gambling have different reputations and are not consider equally dangerous.
Games such as poker and sport betting are games that in the minds of many legislators are associated with degenerated gamblers for which the gambling have negative effects on the gamblers economic and social situation. The risk of becoming addicted and losing everything is perceived to be larger with these types of gambling and therefore the high gambling ages have been put in place to protect the young from this danger. Games like pull tabs and bingo on the other hand do not conjure up this image of social and economical disasters, even though in reality there are of course people who lost everything on these types of games as well. This means that the legislatiors in some states do not see the same need to protect younger citizens from bingo and pull tabs and the gambling age therefore is lower or non-existent. This is however not the case in all states and many states have the same gambling age for all types of gambling, from roulette to bingo.
States such as New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and North Dakota does not have an age limit for pulls tabs and every one is welcome to play regardless of age.
Below you will find a list of the pull tab gambling age across the USA.
Alabama 19
Alaska 21
Arizona 18
Arkansas 18
California 18
Colorado 18
Connecticut 18
Delaware 18
District of Columbia 18
Florida 18
Georgia 18
Hawaii n/a
Idaho 18
Illinois 18
Indiana 18
Iowa 21
Kansas 18
Kentucky 18
Louisiana 18
Maine 16
Maryland 18
Massachusetts 18
Michigan 18
Minnesota 18
Mississippi 18
Missouri 16
Montana 18
Nebraska 18
Nevada 21
New Hampshire 18
New Jersey 18
New Mexico no age limit
New York no age limit
North Carolina no age limit
North Dakota no age limit
Ohio 18
Oklahoma 18
Oregon n/a
Pennsylvania 18
Puerto Rico 18
Rhode Island 18
South Carolina ?
South Dakota 18
Tennessee ?
Texas 18, unless parent present
Utah n/a
Vermont 18
Virgin Islands ?
Virginia 18
Washington 18
West Virginia 18
Wisconsin 18
Wyoming 18
Information may be wrong and should not be considered legal advice. Check with a lawyer to make sure.
Internationally, the gambling age for pull tabs vary greatly just like they do in the USA. It is recommended that you research any state specifically before you go there to find out the gambling age if you plan to gamble. Remember that the gambling age can vary even within a country, e.g. between states or counties, and it is therefore a good idea to check the age for the specific area that you are going to visit. You can also ask about the gambling age once you have arrived. Don't forget that gambling is outlawed altogether in some countries.